The type of laser currently used for the vast majority of vision-correction surgery including PRK and LASIK. Developed by IBM in the late 1970’s to aid in microchip fabrication, as the UV-wavelength laser has greater theoretical resolution than photolithography techniques using visible light. The excimer laser was adapted for vision correcting eye surgery shortly thereafter. The laser emits a ‘cool’ beam of UV light to gently sculpt the cornea with exquisite precision, and without heating, injuring, shrinking, or otherwise distorting surrounding tissue.
